The man suspected of opening fire at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner Saturday night was identified as Cole Tomas Allen31, a professor and video game developer living in Torrance, in the Los Angeles area, two sources familiar with the case told CNN.
Allen was detained near the event, which was attended by President Donald Trump and other officials. According to US Attorney General Jeanine Pirro, he faces two charges of using a firearm and one of assaulting a federal agent with a dangerous weapon.
Authorities indicated that the suspect was “armed with a shotgun, a pistol and several knives” when he managed to get through a security checkpoint. So far a motive has not been determined, and investigators believe he acted alone.
While the investigations progressed, FBI agents were deployed during the night of Saturday and the early hours of this Sunday in front of a home linked to Allen in Torrance.
A neighbor, who asked not to be identified, told CNN that he was not certain that Allen resided on that property. He stated that he did not see him often, although he claimed that he had been there “a couple of days ago.” He also described the suspect’s father as a kind and talkative person.
A LinkedIn profile that matches his name and image describes him as a part-time professor at a company dedicated to academic preparation. According to company publications, he was named “teacher of the month” in December 2024.
According to that profile, he graduated in 2017 from the California Institute of Technology with a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and earned a master’s degree in Computer Science last year from California State University, Dominguez Hills.
Allen participated in a Christian association and a foam gun gaming club. In addition, he was mentioned in a local report in 2017 for developing a prototype emergency brake for wheelchairs.
He also identified himself as a video game developer and had published an independent game titled “Bohrdom”, available on Steam for US$1.99. Federal records indicate that he registered the trademark in 2018.
The game is described as an “asymmetrical, non-violent, skill-based combat game, inspired by a partially reality-based chemistry model.”
The LinkedIn profile indicates that “it is currently developing a second game, tentatively named ‘First Law’.”
Federal Election Commission records show he donated $25 to Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign in October 2024.